Bisexuals “Doing Gender” in Romantic Relationships

Pennington, Suzanne

doi:10.1080/15299710802660029

Cited by 24 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…This is likely due to a mix of genders of the participants’ romantic partners, which has been shown to affect the internalized beauty ideal in BIW (87). A previous study found that BIW with a male partner showed a more traditional feminine body ideal, while BIW with a female partner had a less strictly defined body ideal (88). Accordingly, the gender of the current partner may have led to different body image ideals among the BIW, which in turn may have resulted in the intermediate position of BIW between the two other groups.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body Image as Well as Eating Disorder and Body Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms in Heterosexual, Homosexual, and Bisexual Women

et al. 2019

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Body image disturbance is a core symptom of eating disorders (EDs) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). There is first evidence that females’ body image differs depending on sexual orientation, with heterosexual women (HEW) appearing to show more body image disturbance symptoms than homosexual women (HOW). Such disparities might be moderated by everyday discrimination experiences and involvement with the lesbian community. However, to date, there has been no comprehensive assessment of a broad range of body image facets such as drive for thinness, leanness, and muscularity; body avoidance; body checking and body dissatisfaction; and ED and BDD pathology as well as moderating factors. Moreover, studies have often neglected bisexual women (BIW). A total of N = 617 women ( n = 180 HOW, n = 322 HEW, n = 115 BIW) completed an online survey assessing the various facets of body image, ED and BDD pathology, discrimination experiences, and involvement with the lesbian community. Significant group differences were found regarding drive for leanness and thinness, body checking, investment behavior, and body ideal (all p<.05). BIW showed significantly more body checking than HOW. Compared to HEW, HOW reported a significantly lower drive for leanness and thinness as well as compared to HEW and BIW less investment behavior. HOW preferred a body ideal with significantly more body fat than did HEW (all p<.05). In contrast, no differences emerged in body dissatisfaction, drive for muscularity, body-related avoidance, ED and BDD pathology, and body image disturbance (all p>.05). In all groups, discrimination experiences were positively related to ED and BDD pathology and to body image disturbance (all p < .05); however, discrimination was significantly correlated with more body image facets in HEW than in HOW or BIW. Involvement with the lesbian community was positively correlated with a larger ideal body size in HOW ( p < .05) and negatively correlated with drive for muscularity in BIW ( p < .05). Despite the group differences in several body image facets, we found no consistent evidence of increased vulnerability to body image disturbance or associated pathology depending on sexual orientation. However, in HEW, discrimination experience might pose a risk factor for the development of body image–related pathology and single facets of body image disturbance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body Image as Well as Eating Disorder and Body Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms in Heterosexual, Homosexual, and Bisexual Women

et al. 2019

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“…All of my respondents spoke extensively about the ways in which intense communication between those in the relationship helped foster their experience as open and honest in their identity as bisexual and in their polyamorous relationships. Pennington (2009) questions bisexual self-awareness and bisexuals' ability to critique hegemonic norms based on their experience of being outside hegemonically defined institutions. Of her research she states, "The bisexuals in this research are significantly self-aware of their ideas about sex/gender, and some proffer extensive critiques of hegemonic norms.…”

Section: A R Mossmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alternative Families, Alternative Lives: Married WomenDoingBisexuality

Moss

2012

Journal of GLBT Family Studies

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Married bisexual women shake up existing socially recognizable family, gender, and sexuality orders prescribed by Western society simply by being out, bisexual, and married. Empirical research on and theoretical arguments about bisexuality in the family have been rare. A recent study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family (2010) notes that ". . . a number of core questions [about bisexuality in the family] remain unanswered" (Biblarz & Savci, 2010, p. 490) . It is my intention to argue in favor of a new paradigm that sees relationships through a bisexual lens (rather than a hetero-/homosexual lens), allowing for simultaneous partners of different genders (polyamory) as a legitimate and lawful practice andthe creation of families through such practices to be viewed as no less necessary than the families of their monosexual peers. (In)visibility of this high-stakes way of doing bisexuality informs the ways my respondents do family.

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“…There are, in fact, compelling parallel findings from these two non-heteronormative groups. Pennington's (2009) interview study of bisexuals found that many of these individuals were "critically aware of dominant conceptualizations of sex/gender as social structures of power" (p. 45), similar to the perceptions of the transgender individuals interviewed by Green (2005). Similar to the ideas of Monro's (2000) transgender theory, Pennington's respondents noted how their own lived experiences did not correspond with traditional notions of gender.…”

Section: The Intersectionality Of Gender and Sexual Identitiesmentioning

confidence: 65%